Study Group Episode 5 & 6 Recap: Yoon Ga-min Strikes First Against Pi Han-ul

Episode 5 of Study Group opens with tension. Pi Han-ui beats Kang Dong-su’s gang with Min-hwan’s help. He is slowly planning to take over his father’s business. His moves feel cold and calculated.

This establishes Pi Han-ui not just as a school bully, but as a strategic antagonist with ambitions beyond the schoolyard, mirroring corporate or political power struggles and raising the stakes for the entire series.

At the same time, the study group is still in Seoul. They meet top students at Manil High School. But Ji-woo sends Ga-min the wrong address by mistake. He ends up at Manik High School, a place filled with bullies. The students at Manil tell Ji-woo and Se-hyeon that their friend Jun-min is missing. They fear the worst.

Their fears come true. Jun-min is getting beaten by bullies at Manik. Before Ji-woo can fix his mistake, Ga-min is already fighting them. He defeats the bullies and saves Jun-min.

It’s a powerful moment. Later, Jun-min thanks Ga-min and apologizes for how he treated him in the past. He admits he once ignored Ga-min when they were classmates. His words move Ga-min to tears.

Meanwhile, Han-gyeong decides to stay at Yusung Technical High. She feels there’s something important she needs to finish. The next day, the group returns to school. Their club room looks old and dirty. Still, Ga-min’s positive energy keeps everyone going. They clean it together and try to make it feel like home.

Soon after, Ho-min, another bully, appears. He mocks the study group. But this time, they don’t react. They stay calm. Han-gyeong meets the Deputy Principal and suggests calling a meeting to discuss Pi Han-ui’s punishment.

The Deputy Principal refuses. He challenges her to raise her students’ grades by ten points if she wants to move forward. Han-gyeong accepts. Lee Joon overhears the deal.

Later, Han-gyeong shows the students their current rankings. Ga-min is near the bottom, but he refuses to give up. On the way home, Lee Joon shares what he heard.

The group starts to feel pressure. Se-hyeon gets a message from his dad and suddenly leaves. His dad wants him to work at the construction site instead of studying.

A Painful Past and a Tough Fight

In a flashback, a young Se-hyeon comes home excited about passing his exams. But his happiness fades when he finds his parents fighting over money. His father’s anger turns violent. The scene shows how deeply Se-hyeon’s pain runs.

In the present, Se-hyeon meets Hee-won on the way to the site. She encourages him, saying he’s impressive for trying so hard. Their moment doesn’t last long. Ho-min and his gang appear again. They beat Se-hyeon and Hee-won badly. Ga-min shows up and fights to protect them.

Se-hyeon feels humiliated that he can’t protect himself. At home, his dad beats him again. This time, he fights back and walks out. Outside, he finds Ga-min waiting. Ga-min offers him a place to stay. Se-hyeon refuses. He says he wants to win one fight on his own. His frustration feels raw and real.

That night, Ga-min heads home but keeps thinking about Se-hyeon. His friend’s words stay with him. Later, Se-hyeon runs into Ho-min again.

Ga-min, realizing what might happen, calls Se-hyeon and guides him through the fight over the phone. When Ga-min’s phone dies, Se-hyeon is left alone. But this time, he doesn’t fall. He fights back and wins. It’s his first real victory.

Episode 6

Episode 6 begins with Pi Han-ui listening to music. Min-hwan arrives, and they talk about their group called “No Reason.” It’s supposed to help the weak, but they clearly don’t care about that. Their words sound like lies.

Meanwhile, Ga-min takes Se-hyeon home. His mom scolds him for being late. She asks him to prepare for a school transfer. Ga-min tells Se-hyeon she means it. His mom always does what she says. Before bed, she gives him a list of new schools.

Ga-min tells Se-hyeon he doesn’t regret helping him, even if it means transferring. Se-hyeon asks why Ga-min studies so hard when he doesn’t have to.

Ga-min says it hurts when people don’t expect anything from him. In a flashback, a young Ga-min overhears his mom saying not to pressure him like his genius father.

The next morning, Ga-min and his mom meet the principal to discuss his transfer. The study group watches from the window. They realize his poor grades make it hard for him to move schools. Ga-min’s mom says they’ll relocate to Seoul if needed.

The students try to convince her to let him stay. Han-gyeong rushes to talk to her. But Ga-min’s mom has already decided. The group borrows a car and chases after her.

On the road, Ho-min and his biker gang block them again. A fight breaks out. Ji-woo and Lee Joon stay back to hold them off while Han-gyeong and the rest move ahead.

They finally reach Ga-min’s mom. Han-gyeong reminds her of their past. She tells her how much Ga-min’s growth means to her. Both women once knew the teacher who died at Yusung Technical High. That loss changed them both.

The Breaking Point

While this happens, Min-hwan warns Pi Han-ui about Han-gyeong. He says she’s planning a disciplinary hearing against him. Pi Han-ui doesn’t look worried. He tells Min-hwan to handle it “like before.” The line hints at something dark from their past.

Soon after, Min-hwan walks into the cafe where Ga-min, Han-gyeong, and his mom are talking. Chaos follows. A fight breaks out. Ga-min’s mom steps in. She’s revealed to be a Taekwondo master. She fights bravely but gets hurt when a beam hits her head while protecting Han-gyeong.

The next morning, Ga-min walks to school with anger burning inside him. He finds Pi Han-ui on the rooftop and attacks. His rage clouds his focus. Pi Han-ui’s three bodyguards beat him down. After regaining his composure, Ga-min fights back. He defeats them one by one.

Then, he storms into the school assembly. Everyone watches in shock as Ga-min punches Pi Han-ui across the face. His “Unfair Play” and “Dragon Kick” techniques leave the crowd speechless.

The episode ends with Ga-min staring at Pi Han-ui, wondering if everything that happened was his fault.

This moment captures the real turning point of the Study Group. Ga-min isn’t just fighting bullies anymore. He’s fighting himself, his doubts, and the people who never believed in him.

The climax of Episode 6 solidifies this arc as the series’ turning point. The story evolves from simple bully-revenge tropes into a complex exploration of trauma, legacy, and the cost of justice.

Ga-min’s public assault on Pi Han-ui isn’t just a physical victory; it’s a declaration of war against the entire corrupt system of the school, setting the stage for an even greater conflict.

The final question—”was it all his fault?”—forces both the character and the audience to reflect on the consequences of every action taken.

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